Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Aston Martin V12 Vantage ends & big changes afoot at Aston Martin

Launched as a limited edition V12 Vantage in 2009, by 2010 Aston decided there was enough demand to make the V12 Vantage a proper part of Aston’s standard offerings, and since then it’s been the same. The V12 Vantage has also spawned a Roadster version (which, we think, stays in production – at least for now) and the slightly bonkers V12 Zagato, which conspired to look a bit too extreme for an Aston and cost an arm and a leg. We know that AM sold around 1200 V12 Vantage Coupes, around 100 V12 Vantage Roadsters and a handful of V12 Zagatos, but now the run is at an end and we do wonder if there will be a replacement?

Aston Martin V8 Vantage N430 & DB9 Carbon Black & Carbon White Editions: Geneva 2014

The new Aston Martin V8 Vantage N430 (pictured) gets Vantage S power It’s tough having motor shows to attend and nothing new to offer, so car makers tend to deliver a ‘Special Edition’ of an existing model to make it look like they’ve made and effort. Step forward the Aston Martin V8 Vantage N430 and the Aston Martin DB9 Carbon Black & Carbon White Editions. There’s little new on offer, really, with a rehashing of what Aston Martin has produced before as ‘Limited Edition’ cars, with the V8 Vantage N430 continuing the theme of Vantage  ’N’ Editions and the Carbon’ limited edition’ DB9s done before.

Jaguar Land Rover factory closure

Jaguar Land Rover are to close one of their production facilities in the Midlands JLR unions have already brokered a deal to ensure no job losses in the short term, but JLR are committed to rationalising their manufacturing across just two plants in the UK, instead of the existing three. The decision will be made about which plant to close in the next eighteen months. The most likely scenario is that JLR will close Solihull – which currently produces Land Rovers and employs 5000 people – and concentrate Land Rover production at Halewood.